It is known to use a shower curtain to prevent water from escaping a bath and/or shower unit (e.g., a bath tub, a shower stall or a combination thereof), hereinafter “bath/shower unit,” while a user is showering. To support the shower curtain, a shower rod is typically mounted across an opening to the bath/shower unit. The shower rod is mounted horizontally across the opening and the shower curtain is hung from the shower rod, for example, using rings or hooks. As necessary the shower curtain can be opened or closed by sliding the rings or hooks along the shower rod. When the shower curtain is closed, the shower curtain acts as a barrier to keep water that would otherwise travel outside the bath/shower unit in the bath/shower unit where it can flow out a drain.
Shower rods traditionally have been straight. However, the use of curved shower rods has become more common. Curved shower rods allow the shower curtain to curve away from the bath/shower unit and, thus, provide a greater volume in the bath/shower unit. In particular, the amount of space (e.g., shoulder and elbow room) available to the user in the center of the bath/shower unit can be increased.
Bath/shower units come in a variety of sizes and shapes. The bath/shower unit itself or opposing walls near the bath/shower unit form a pair of mounting surfaces between which the curved shower rod is installed. Because of the variation in the sizes and/or shapes of the bath/shower units and/or the spacing between the nearby walls, the longitudinal distance that the curved shower rod must span varies, often varying over an inch or more.
Thus, installation of the curved shower rod often requires careful selection of a curved shower rod having an appropriate length or modification to an overall length of the curved shower rod for it to properly fit between the mounting surfaces. As the length of the curved shower rod changes or is otherwise modified to fit between the mounting surfaces, an angle that the curved shower rod forms with the mounting surface changes (see FIGS. 1A and 1B).
As shown in FIG. 1A, a curved shower rod 100 has a length L1 and fits between a pair of mounting surfaces 102. The distance D1 between the mounting surfaces 102 is larger than the distance L1. A bath/shower unit 104 is disposed between the mounting surfaces 102. Mounting assemblies 106 can be used to secure each end 108 of the curved shower rod 100 to the mounting surfaces 102. The ends 108 of the curved shower rod 100 approach the mounting assemblies 106 (fixed to the mounting surfaces 102) at an angle θ1. The mounting assemblies 106 have structure for interfacing with the curved shower rod 100 at the angle θ1.
The curved shower rod 100 with the length L1 will not, however, fit between a pair of mounting surfaces 110 (see FIG. 1B). In particular, a distance D2 between the mounting surfaces 110 is less than the length L1. Accordingly, another curved shower rod 112 having a length L2 that will fit between the mounting surfaces 110 must be used.
As shown in FIG. 1B, the curved shower rod 112 having the length L2 fits between the mounting surfaces 110. A bath/shower unit 114 is disposed between the mounting surfaces 110. Mounting assemblies 116 can be used to secure each end 118 of the curved shower rod 112 to the mounting surfaces 110. The ends 118 of the curved shower rod 112 approach the mounting assemblies 116 (fixed to the mounting surfaces 110) at an angle θ2. The mounting assemblies 116 have structure for interfacing with the curved shower rod 112 at the angle θ2.
Because the length L2 of the curved shower rod 112 differs from the length L1 of the curved shower rod 100, the approaching angle θ2 of the curved shower rod 112 differs from the approaching angle θ1 of the curved shower rod 100. As a result, different mounting assemblies 106 and 116 are used to install the curved shower rods 100 and 112 to account for the respective different approaching angles θ1 and θ2. This is disadvantageous, for example, because it requires the manufacture and maintenance of multiple different mounting assemblies.
To overcome these disadvantages, the same mounting assembly (106 or 116) can be made to accommodate both the curved shower rod 100 and the curved shower rod 112. In particular, the mounting assembly 106, 116 is provided with structure that can pivot or swivel to interface with a curved shower rod across a range of approaching angles (including θ1 and θ2). This approach, however, has drawbacks as well. For example, a decorative cover that is commonly installed over the mounting assembly 106, 116 must have an opening large enough to allow the pivoting/swiveling structure of the mounting assembly 106, 116 to move through a wide range of motion for accommodating the range of approaching angles. Such a large opening reduces the aesthetic value of the cover. Generally, the curved shower rod 100, 112 will only occupy a portion of the opening, while the remaining portion of the opening will allow the user to see the internal structure of the mounting assembly 106,116 (i.e., below the cover), thereby detracting from the aesthetic appearance of the installed curved shower rod 100, 112.
Consequently, there is a need in the art for an apparatus for mounting curved shower rods of varying lengths, the apparatus including a decorative cover that conceals a pivoting/swiveling mechanism and/or other internal components of the apparatus.